Examples of AXFIL work

Headed pin with tip

Function
Nail for perforating acoustic panels

Technical requirements

Straightening after quenching, ogival precision tip, dimensional repeatability based on form of head.

A cheaper alternative to micro-piercing, these needles can perforate metal sheets to make a multitude of holes simultaneously (up to 18,000 holes in a single operation) to produce acoustic panels for special applications, such as insulating the walls of a jet engine unit.

We manufacture this industrial nail, whose head and body meet the stringent specifications for assembly in large quantities on a sheet positioned on special tooling which perfectly fits the shape of the surface to be pierced and then strikes the nails.

Axfil handles the entire production line, starting with the steel wire, which is straightened, precision cut and shaped at both ends: a precision ogival tip at one end and a head formed by cold heading at the other, with a diameter of ±0.15 mm.

We then use the services of a trusted partner to quench and nickel plate the part to deliver a conditioned end product that meets all of the customer’s requirements.

Materials

Carbon Stainless Steel XC80, quenching + nickel plating

Sector

Aerospace

Examples of AXFIL work

Electrical connector

Function

Connector overmoulded in a plastic part for electrical transmission

Technical requirements

Multiple precision bending

Most electrical connectors have several conductive cores moulded together to form a complete unit. We custom make round, square and rectangular conductive tracks.
Depending on the customer’s needs, we also offer stamping, pyramidal ends, die-forged grooves, etc.

The parts usually undergo a substantial series of bending, during which time the angular dispersions (±0.5°) and dimensional dispersions (±0.30 mm) must also be closely controlled. Axfil has all the knowledge and expertise needed to design and maintain tooling to ensure the conformity of parts produced.

Their applications are many: automotive, aeronautics, rail, agricultural mechanisation, energy storage, satellites, construction, capital goods, etc.

Materials

Nickel 99.2% / 2.4066

Sector

Connector systems and electronics

Examples of AXFIL work

Industrial needle

Function

Metal perforator, leather and textile, machining lapping tool, alignment guide, etc.

Technical requirements

Axfil has unique knowledge and expertise in the field of precision tips: fineness of tip <0.03 mm, angle precision of cone ±0.5°, tip/cylinder body concentricity <0.02 mm.

We design and manufacture our own production machines, which we are constantly improving to make tips that are conical, ogival and convex, or concave in all materials, including the very hardest.

Materials

Piano wire (SM/SH/Grade II), Copper carbon steel, Stainless steel, etc.

Sector

Industry

Examples of AXFIL work

Phynox injector wire

Function

Needle designed for ophthalmic use, inserted in a plastic part

Technical requirements

Laser rounding of end section, precision bending of each end section (dimensional tolerance after bending is ±0.025 mm) with a total length after bending of ±0.10 mm
Ophthalmic surgery requires extremely fine tools that must meet very precise geometric requirements, with no burring or roughness whatsoever.

We make the functional tips of these tools using wire of 0.20 mm to 1.00 mm, with a standard precision of ±0.01 mm at the diameter (which may go as low as a few micrometres). We can either make a fine tip or produce a hemispherical finish using laser fusion and precision bending (±25 µm).

This tip is then inserted in multi-cavity plastic injection moulds at our customers’ premises, employing perfectly controlled and stable geometry to ensure it bonds with the body of the instrument by means of overmoulding.
Our ophthalmic parts are 100% inspected.

Materials

Phynox 2.4711

Sector

Healthcare

Examples of AXFIL work

Connector socket

Function

Electronic connector socket

Technical requirements

This electronic connector socket is custom made using a beryllium copper strip with a thickness of 0.25 mm, for a customer specialising in aeronautics connector systems.

Our long experience and expertise in various manufacturing techniques and tooling design are essential for producing this type of cut and rolled part in large batches, in a stable and repetitive way and at a reasonable cost.

The first stage of manufacturing involves precision cutting the flat form to one hundredth of a millimetre (±0.01 mm), which is essential to ensure the success of all subsequent stages. The final form is obtained by deforming the part over a series of stages, until a perfect cylinder is produced with no folding.

The other challenge with this component is to ensure the spring effect of the end section by deforming the beryllium copper tabs repeatedly during large-scale production.

Materials

Beryllium Copper CuBe2

Sector

Connector systems and electronics

Examples of AXFIL work

Electrical contact

Function

Electrical contact for crimping, for use with electronic cards

Technical requirements

This electrical contact is designed for an electronic card application for use in aeronautics. Precision manufacturing is essential for our customer, who uses a crimping machine especially adapted for this part. Axfil has the range of technical expertise needed to produce complex parts with 3D geometry in large-sized batches at a reasonable cost, while guaranteeing a high level of precision (±0.02mm) and excellent repeatability.

The beryllium copper strip (thickness of 0.25 mm ±15 µm) is formed at high output over several stages: trimming the flat form (±0.02 mm), drawing the central groove and making the holes and oblongs, followed by nine successive folds (±1°) to produce the final form. Particular attention is paid to ejecting the part to avoid any deformation. Statistical controls using a 3D Keyence profile projector help us to quickly detect any deviation associated with the material or wear of the tool, to remove any batches that are at risk.  The final packaging was studied closely with the customer to protect the part’s geometry throughout the logistics chain and up to its installation on the customer’s machines.

Materials

Copper Alloy CuBe2

Sector

Connector systems and electronics

Examples of AXFIL work

Pod

Function

Electrical connector sockets

Technical requirements

This socket is the female part of an electric connector. It has two end sections: one for crimping the electric wire, the other for receiving the male part of the socket. This socket is fitted with a safety tab that holds the plug in place once inserted. The tab must be lifted using a small screwdriver to remove the plug after assembly.

These electrical connectors are custom made using a strip of tin (CuZn33) with a thickness of 0.25 mm. The flat form is cut out in the first stage (±0.02 mm), then the tag is created by punching the sheet metal before making all the necessary folds to produce the final form.

The experience of Axfil’s designers is essential for designing, making and developing complex tooling in the shortest possible time and at the lowest cost, ensuring a connector that offers precision, stability and repeatability in accordance with the customer’s requirements.

The sockets are delivered with a strip that can be carried on a reel to the end customer, where the customer will cut out and insert each socket in its housing inside the connector. The indentation holes allow this non-standard connector to be assembled on our customer’s machines in the same way as its other standard components.

Materials

Tin CuZn33

Sector

Connector systems and electronics

Examples of AXFIL work

Assembly clip

Function

Support for electrical conductors

Technical requirements

Bending, drawing, piercing and assembly of three different parts

This automatic connector, measuring 23.5 mm in length, is designed for assembly on an electronic card. It provides a quick connection, without the need for tools and with a non-return function, of four naked electrical wires lying side by side.

It comprises three assembled parts, two starting out as metal strips of steel (0.60 mm) and one of tin alloy (0.25 mm).

Several processes are implemented successively to produce this part in large-sized batches: precision cutting the outlines of the three parts (±0.02 mm), die forging/cutting the tip in the form of a pyramid, folding the two side wings (angle ±1°), drawing the connecting tabs and then assembling the three elements via mechanical crimping. The part is then ejected from the machine in its final, ready-to-use state.

Materials

Steel XC75 and Copper Alloy CuZn30

Sector

Connector systems and electronics

Examples of AXFIL work

Stainless steel grooved pin

Function

Pistons for closing the cylinder mechanisms of drawers

Technical requirements

Length (±0.10 mm) and straightness precision <0.10 mm, machining tolerance ±0.05 mm with no material protuberance, roughness <0.2 µm, diameter precision ±6µm
These requirements meet a combination of precise specifications for geometric precision, high mechanical resistance and a completely smooth surface condition, ensuring the mechanical and hermetic performance of the cylinder throughout the mechanism’s useful life.
A systematic inspection of the stainless steel wire upon reception allows us to check the dimensions (standard precision +/- 6 µm, tighter tolerances on request), the mechanical characteristics (high or low-resistance steel) and the surface condition.

Wire straightening is the first stage in the manufacturing process. The aim is to achieve perfect straightness, which requires constant monitoring throughout the production process to adjust the machine settings in real time to accommodate for the tiniest variations in the steel’s mechanical characteristics. This is done for the entire 20 kms of wire on a reel.

Precision cutting, the second stage in the process, is Axfil’s trademark activity. We have expert knowledge of the settings needed to make a cut that is perfectly straight, clean and devoid of burring, with a precision generally to within ±0.10 mm. Making all of our own machinery and tooling in-house, the quality of our work is unrivalled on the market.
Axfil then shapes the end sections in line with customer requirements: straight, chamfered, rounded, ridged, stamped, headed (circular, conical, etc.), using its fleet of constantly maintained, state-of-the-art machinery (heading machine, laser head, press and turning lathe).

Drawing on the experience of our design team and operators, we can design, manufacture and fine-tune precision tools that will deliver the geometric precision and repeatability of end sections.

Mechanical polishing, the last stage in the process, produces an Ra roughness below the standard 0.2 µm and even lower if requested. This ensures the durability of our joints and hermetic performance of our pistons. Tribofinishing is a delicate process and for each operation a perfect balance must be found between the vibratory profile of the tank, the type and quantity of the polishing medium, the additives and the polishing time.

Materials

Stainless Steel 1.4305

Sector

Furnishings and construction

Examples of AXFIL work

Dye lapping tool

Function

Needles used for dye lapping and polishing

Technical requirements

All wire manufacturers use wire-drawing dies.

An expert command of die angles is essential for delivering a high-quality end product and optimised output rates.

Axfil produces lapping tools in large-sized batches so that it can profile the dies with precision and repeatability. We start with extremely hard steel wire to make a tip with the utmost precision: fineness of tip <0.03 mm, angle precision of cone ±30’, tip/cylinder body concentricity >0.02 mm.

We have a very diverse set of clientele, from wire manufacturers specialising in rare wire materials and high-precision wire drawing, to tyre manufacturers, making steel wire that is inserted in the tyre structures of cars, trucks, tractors and works vehicles.

Materials

Piano wire (SM/SH/Grade II), Copper carbon steel

Sector

Industry